The Comeback Route -Book 1 Moss Bluff Series

Chapter 4

Thank you for reading Enjoy

Chapter 4

Aubrey

It's a lazy fall evening and perfect weather for a glass of wine, a bowl of homemade potato soup on my porch and the sun slowly setting, turning the sky streaks of red, orange and purple. Today was an easy day for me to end my week. The town is gearing up for the fall festival. I decorated my clinic with pumpkin and leaves, with spiders and webs to add that Halloween vibe. Just so my trick or treaters can have a treat when they come by.

It's a fun tradition for everyone. The businesses all decorate up, the kids have a safe place to come play games, get candy and have fun. I remember as a kid growing up here doing the same things and loving it. Lump and I will sit on my porch at the clinic, under the full moon, and pass out candy just like the rest.

Tonight, I get to relax. No bills to think about. No patients waiting for my attention. No gossip I need to be a part of. Just me and Lump with my hot bowl of soup and a good book on a cool fall night. I am just going to get lost in the story and not think about a thing.

I closed the clinic for tomorrow, just for a day to take time for me. There are things around here I want to get done and haven't had time. I had no appointments set, no reason to sit around there waiting for business to walk in. If I'm needed I can be reached easy enough on my phone and I can do my chores.

Scooping up a spoonful of potatoes and chunks of bacon, I take a bite and begin to read my mystery novel. A wonderful who done it, filled with a few scares, some twists and turns in the plot and a bit of romance as the heroine saves the guy. It's a nice change from the usual damsel in distress.

The now familiar sound of the old truck coming up the road has Lump lifting his head from my leg. Waiting for the truck to stop across the street before his tail begins to sways back and forth, Lump watches in anticipation. Then the driver's door opens and Beck slides out. Taking that as his cue, Lump slips off the bench next to me walks lazily over, his tail wagging in greeting his new friend.

I watch from my spot on the porch. A glass of wine in my hand and a smile behind my glass as Lump gets his rub down. Beck bends over getting a tongue up his cheek, then he says something to my dog before looking my way. Standing up he taps his palm against his leg and Lump is walking with him, right at his side as he comes up my steps.

"He likes you." I tell Beck although Lump is friendly to almost everyone. I pat my leg and Lump comes back laying at my feet.

"I'm not sure why?  He seems to be fine with everyone around here." He leans against the post as he talks. "Does he ever get ticked off?"

"Almost never. He doesn't like Lindsey. One time she came by the clinic and I thought he'd go through the glass growling and barking at her." I smile at the memory. "She's never been back."

"Can I borrow him a while, maybe he'll get her off my ass." Beck jokes but I half believe he's serious. "God, can that woman be any more of a pain in the ass?"

"Oh, don't ask! Trust me she can and will if you give her the opportunity." I assure him as he scrubs his face with his hands and a softly muttered curse. My experience with Lindsey Markham is long and painful. "How's the demo going?"

He slides down to sit on the top step, leaning his back against the post and stretching his long legs out down the steps. Looking out at the sunset, he lets out a long sigh. "Good, dirty, sweaty and a little painful but we're making progress."

Taking a good look at him, I can see he's wearing a layer of dirt on his clothes, his face has a sheen to it and his T-shirt is sticking to his very well defined chest. He looks good, content with the job he's doing. Satisfied and breathtakingly provocative. Oh my, I didn't know construction work could be this sexy.